You Won't Believe Which 3 Pilots Just Made the U.S. Men's National Team—The Shocking Details Inside!

In an exciting development for American soccer, U.S. Soccer announced the rosters for the U-18, U-19, and U-20 Men's National Team combined training camp on Thursday. Among the notable selections is **Christian Mendoza**, a midfielder for the **Portland Pilots**, who has made the U-20 roster. This marks a significant milestone as Mendoza is the first Pilot under head coach **Nick Carlin-Voigt** to be named to a U-20 national team camp.

The training camp will take place from **January 10-16** at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in **Mesa, Arizona**. Mendoza joins a prestigious group of 14 collegiate players selected for the camp, highlighting the growing recognition of university talent in the national soccer landscape. Notably, he follows in the footsteps of **Benji Michel**, who earned a cap with the U.S. Men's National Team in 2021.

Mendoza's impressive performance in his freshman year on The Bluff contributed to his selection. In **12 games**, he made **four starts**, scoring one goal and assisting on two others. His lone goal came during a match against **Lewis & Clark**, while one of his assists was pivotal, leading to the game-winning goal against the **Denver Pioneers**. His efforts earned him a spot on the **All-WCC Freshman Team**, further solidifying his status as a promising young talent.

Joining Mendoza at the camp are two incoming Pilots, **Eric Izoita** and **Kruz Held**. Izoita, a local midfielder from **Vancouver, Washington**, has progressed through the **Timbers Academy** and played **21 games** with **14 starts** for **Timbers2** in 2025, contributing with two assists. He previously received an invitation to the U-19 camp in **September**. Held, a defender from **Naperville, Illinois**, has experience with the **Chicago Fire Academy** and played four games with **Chicago Fire II** in MLS NextPro in **2024**. Both players are set to join the Pilots in the fall of **2026**.

The Pilots had one of the best seasons in their history this year, finishing with a **14-2-4** record, their best winning percentage (.800) since **1988**. This performance earned them the **8-seed** in the NCAA Tournament, marking only the third time in program history that the Pilots secured a first-round bye, and the second time under Carlin-Voigt. The team advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time under Carlin-Voigt and the third time since **1995**.

Statistically, Portland stood out this season, ranking **third in assists** (56), **fourth in assists per game** (2.75), **fifth in goal differential** (31), and **sixth in win-lost-tied percentage** (.800). They were also **seventh in points** (142) and points per game (7.05), and **12th in total goals** (43). Impressively, their **56 assists** broke a previous program record set two years earlier.

Nick Carlin-Voigt commented on Mendoza’s selection, stating, “What a tremendous honor for Christian Mendoza to be called into his first ever USA national team camp. Christian is a local Portland product and Oregonian who had a tremendous freshman year and was a big part of our success this fall. Being selected as one of the few college players in the entire country for our U20 national team domestic camp is an incredible accomplishment for both our program and Christian, and the best is ahead for him.”

On Izoita, Carlin-Voigt remarked, “Eric is a top footballer with an exceptional soccer IQ and a relentless competitive spirit. He was my favorite player in his class and, in my opinion, the most complete player on the West Coast in his graduation year. A true PNW product, Eric was raised locally and has deep roots in the Portland soccer community. For me, he is the best deep-lying midfielder in the country and has a very bright future here on the Bluff and beyond.”

Regarding Held, he said, “We are excited about Kruz's continued development as he grows and progresses. He is a high-character individual off the field and will be a great addition to our culture. He plays the game the right way and comes from a strong Chicago Fire development system. Kruz has the versatility to play as an attacking wingback on either side within our system. We are thrilled to welcome him to Portland. Congratulations as well on being selected for the U-18 U.S. Men's National Team Camp.”

With the Pilots’ recent successes and the emergence of young talent like Mendoza, Izoita, and Held, the future looks promising for Portland soccer. Fans of the Pilots can catch upcoming games by securing their tickets through **PortlandPilots.com/Tickets** or the Portland Pilots App. For those interested in supporting the team further, donations can be made to **University of Portland Athletics**, with all contributions being 100% tax-deductible.